Crimson Latch
by Akane Cullen
Summary: Renee and Phil have a new daughter, which means Bella has a new step-sister. Fourteen years later, Renee and Phil decided to vacation in Forks and stay with the Cullens. But will Bella's sister find out their secret? Worse yet fall in love with a werewolf
1. Preface

**::{Crimson Latch}::  
****By Akane Cullen  
****NOTE: I DO NOT OWN THE TWILIGHT SAGA NOR DO I OWN THE  
CHARACTERS IN THE STORY EXCEPT FOR MY OC.  
****I HOPE THAT YOU'LL ENJOY READING THIS AS THIS  
****IS MY SECOND TWILIGHT FANFICTION.  
****THIS STORY TAKES PLACE AFTER  
****BREAKING DAWN.  
****(SPOILER ALERT..!)  
****[PLEASE R&R]  
****TWILIGHT BELONGS TO:  
****STEPHENIE MEYER ©  
****FANFICTION STORYLINE BELONGS TO:  
****AKANE CULLEN**

**

* * *

  
****Preface**

I stood face to face with her, the girl I always referred as to "sister". I was welcomed into their home, their wide mansion.

I was greeted by her in a strange way, in an inhuman way. Her husband stood briskly next to her, his tall, muscular body standing tall. He had a welcoming grin that spread across his face with strange-colored eyes; he stared at me in a creepy but warm way, as if he was pretending to greet me but soon would attack me when we were alone.

My- our mother patted my shoulder from behind me and whispered for me to say hello. I refused, nervous and shy on what they would say or do.

"Hello," My sister said in a dry, low voice but in a way a bit welcoming. She let out her trembling hand and revealed to me her soft, pale hand. I attempted to shake it and winced, feeling her freezing cold skin brush against my palm.

"Hello," her husband greeted instead. He held out his broad arm as well, offering his hand. I shook his, hoping it wouldn't be as cold.

My sister trembled, clutching both of her hands. She was excused, still holding her hands. I saw her turn back and walk back, slowly quickening her pace. As she passed a corner, I heard a soft whoosh blow behind her.

As for her husband, who remained standing with his hand out, shook my hand comfortably and seemed to have been biting his lip. He nodded and asked for permission to leave with his wife, then sprinted back as well.

Mom smiled and patted my shoulder again then met with my eyes, telling me I would have to greet the rest of the family next time. I nodded, walking next to her closely.

"That was your big sister Bella and that was her husband Edward." She explained as we crossed past the living room and into the kitchen where the rest of the family was cooking.

I swallowed, my stomach quivering from hunger and nervousness. I didn't dare ask any more questions or worse yet be introduced to them.

All I wondered was if all their hands were as cold as my sister's and her husband.

* * *


	2. Chapter One: Bella

_**A/N:**__** Okay, this is the second draft of **__**Crimson Latch; chapter one Bella'**_**s POV**. **This may or may not be better than the first, so I would really appreciate it if you would tell me which one was better. :) I'm sure this one is probably better, since I think my writing has improved a bit and matched Stephenie Meyer's writing a bit, too. xD I'm not trying to be like her, JUST AS GOOD. =] I hope you like it anyway and please continue to review. Thanks for your support! Enjoy!**

**Crimson Latch**

**- 1. Call -**

**{Bella}**

_It_ had been fourteen years ago when Renee and Phil had called me and announced that hey had a new baby -- a girl -- who was my new step-sister. Her name was Karen.

I was happy for the couple, mostly giving them compliments through most of my phone call with Renee.

My responses were the usual; "Oh," and "Yeah,". She didn't seem to mind, since all that was on her mind was Karen.

I thought I had gotten too far when she asked me about Renesmee, later shaking the thought out of my head and holding onto the phone a little tighter and pushed it harder and closer to my ear.

"I can't wait for you to meet her! But sadly, Phil and I have to move place to place, from motel to motel. It's very difficult-- I know Karen should be in a stable environment, but we can't do anything about it. It's his career-- his job. You know?" she said, waiting for another response.

"Uh...Yeah."

I glanced over at the clock, realizing it had been exactly two hours. Suddenly, the operator interrupted and announced the Renee's last phone card only had a load of two more minutes to spare.

Renee cleared her throat, trying to talk faster about Karen, later leading to a short goodbye.

"Love you, Mom." I said.

"Love you, sweetie. Talk to you again soon hopefully! Bye!"

She clicked off the phone and left me on the other end with the annoying dial tone. I sighed, relieved, and went back into our cottage, placing the rarely used phone back onto its slot.

I found my husband peacefully watching our daughter, humming a soft tune. His hand was inside the crib, massaging Nessie's back gently.

I went over to him, finding our sweet daughter of an angel sleeping soundly. I sort of envied her, having the ability to sleep and forget all else in the world until she awoke the next day.

I kissed Edward's smooth, cold cheek, admiring the quiet and special moment, all together as one family.

Our life seemed to be perfectly promising; we would live together forever and there would never be an end. No one would ever find out the truth, only the werewolves and the rest of Carlisle's trusting friends.

Until fourteen years later, Renee and Phil came to Forks with their now fourteen year old daughter, also my new little step-sister, Karen, just a bit older.

It was in the late spring when they had arrived. It turned out Renee had only told Charlie, him showing them directions to where I lived now-- with my vampire family.

Of course, the only way I found out what was really going on was when I saw Renee and Phil pull up in front of our home.

As the paranoid vamp I was, I froze once I heard my mother's voice and her soft fragrance lifting the air. I knew I had gotten over this strange habit -- the irresistible thirst -- but somehow, her scent attracted me-- a lot.

I bolted towards Edward's side, my arms and legs quivering beside him.

I wanted to hug my mom so badly, but my throat rejected my "nice thoughts", my devious thoughts taking over as Renee and Phil strode towards us excitedly.

I felt strange, apparently, but my surroundings dimmed and it felt like I was about to collapse, right when Renee spotted me with glistening, hopeful eyes. I swallowed, Edward leaving me. I frowned, biting my surprisingly bitter-tasting lip. I felt a warm liquid, soon realizing that I was bleeding.

I was so very tempted, Renee embracing me tightly, her neck just inches away from my lips. I sucked on my bottom lip, tightly closing my eyelids. I felt a huge, dry lump expand the closer she was to me, the more her scent spread up my nostrils. I nearly choked.

"Hello," I said, pulling back the menacing thirst. I shouldn't have even used my voice, I later realized, my throat hissing for more after swallowing my own blood.

Renee let go of me, minutes later-- it had felt like hours, and hell.

I greeted Phil awkwardly with a tight, stiff nod, my eyelids twitching as tried turning away. He didn't eye me suspiciously, luckily, but as soon as they were led into the back door, another female human began coming our way, her scent hovering towards me after a sort slam of their car door.

I didn't even try meeting the other human, the one I didn't even care about, the one I didn't even notice in particularly. I would let that scent pass-- I would have to meet her later and I wasn't a least bit anxious to meet her, whoever she was. [a/n: basically, she was absent minding enough to even remember about Karen's arrival. o-0]

I suddenly searched for Alice, without any luck. I was dying, my throat choking on the human oxygen that I wasn't aware of letting it enter my nostrils, continuing to breath the tempting scents. I did not know what had gotten into me, but that seemed to be the only option I had in order to stay on the safe side without spilling the beans.

After three anxious minutes-- I counted in my mind, not having anything else to think about that wouldn't lead to my uncontrollable thirst-- I stupidly made a decision that wasn't such a bright idea.

I sighed in and out, concentrating on nothing, skipping through the kitchen and ignoring the ones in it, and bolted next to Edward, finding him inside the living room getting acquainted by Renee, Phil, and another one, whom I hadn't noticed before.

I began to choke again, the instant their scents surrounded as I passed the thin threshold. But I was already at Edward's side, my parents already spotting me, too late for me to rush back outside and into the open air.

"Hello," I coughed again, my eyes narrowing but my eyebrows curling in difficulty as I reached my hand out unintentionally. I felt Edward's hand on my shoulder, reminding me to be calm. I swallowed, the lump in my throat reappearing.

The looked away from Renee's wrinkled old face and Phil's unshaved face, seeing a pair of smaller, skinnier feet come in between them. I was curious, suddenly bringing my chin up and meeting with my parents' watery eyes. A figure showed up in between them, a much younger face; my little sister, Karen.

She walked up closer to me, just a few more feet farther away from me. She walked another inches closer to me, her shaky arm reaching out and accepting my hand. She was as nervous as I was and she hesitated.

I swallowed, as if it would give her a sign to get it over with.

She swallowed, too, continuing on. I felt her warm fingers wrap around my palm. I felt a sudden spark, her arm wincing and pulling back away, shrugging behind Renee. I took another choking swallow, shrugging behind Edward as well.

Then I bolted off, hearing Edward's voice excuse my absence.

I entered, the scent of warm human food blocking my air space. Some how, the warm aroma of food was satisfying, maybe because it took my mind off of the humans' menacing scent.

I wanted to go further in taking my mind off things, steadily walking towards Esme and offering a hand, reaching for the cooking knife that seemed so comfortably placed in her delicate hand, as if she had cooked for her family every day, a bright and proud smile curling in her lips.

I watched her chop the carrots; it looked so easy. But as I accepted the chopping knife and stood before the chopping board, I felt uncomfortable, having the knife loosely wrapped around me fingers. I tried, placing the knife in my other hand, trying to find a comfortable grip. Nothing helped, a decision made immediately; it had been clear that the last time I had held a knife was a long time ago, recently of something far worse than cooking.

I set down the knife, set to leave. I felt a hard hand gently stop me from behind. I turned back, locking myself into his arms and forcing myself to reject any more angry thoughts, his voice making it much simpler.

"Relax, Bella," he whispered. "You can control your thirst, can't you? It's been fourteen years that you've been able to go around humans-- Nessie, even. What's wrong?"

"I just haven't...Smelled my mother's scent in a long time, that's all," I excused with a shaky tone.

Right when I thought I had calmed down, even after one minute of comfort from his velvety voice, the disturbance returned and the tempting scent taunted me again, even through the thick fog of steaming human food.

Renee was the closest, striding forward and curiously peeking into the steaming pots. "What are we having?"

"It's Italian food," Esme replied calmly. I was glad she spoke for me. "Bella told me it was your favorite so I decided we would all cook you a relaxing Italian lunch and dinner."

Though I knew the truth in why they decided in cooking Italian food-- it wasn't because it was Renee's favorite because Renee didn't have a single bit of taste in Italian food, and because I never told Esme that. It had been me who liked Italian food and it had been the only recipe the Cullens had up their sleeve.

I nodded in agreement, hoping it would cover my trembling.

Renee walked up to me, feeling my forehead and my pale, frigid skin with the back of her hand, her wrist just inches away from my nose and lips.

It was so strange, for me not being able to control my thirst, only to fight it back every second when the humans would appear. I had gotten used to Charlie's sent and the other humans that lived around us, though I hadn't gotten used to Renee's scent, or Karen's. Strangely, they were like a tempting liquor to me, something I couldn't drink.

"You alright?" she asked worriedly. Her eyes continued to glisten. I turned away, continuing to nod.

"By the way," she continued. I gulped nervously.

"Where's my granddaughter? Where's my little Nessie?"

I pointed outside the window. "She's not so little anymore, Mom," I muttered, forcing a smile, my arms shaking as I tried leaning away from Renee.

I followed her gaze, finding Renesmee sitting contently on our cottage's front porch with a book neatly perched on her lap, her fingers trailing around a page.

"She hasn't stopped talking about you, especially when we found out you were coming." I lied. I adjusted my position, avoiding the burning stove as I leaned on my sweaty palms, placed on the marble table. "She'll be surprised to find you coming so soon. Mom, why don't you come out and surprise her? Please?" I begged, gently pushing her bony back towards the back door. I bit my lips again as her scent blew behind her. I sucked in my breath and opened the door, waving politely to Nessie, who had brought her attention to us. She began racing towards us excitedly, all to my disappointment.

I accidentally bumped into Karen, ignoring her face and not even bothering to look back. Instead I gestured a short wave of a hand, hoping she would understand that I asked for an apology-- though I doubted it.

I stumbled next to Jasper, cringing next to him and tightly grasping my long sleeves of my sweater.

"Was this what you had to go through?" I asked through my clenched teeth, wheezing quietly under my breath.

"Pretty much," he chuckled back-- calmly. "But of course, I grew used to it. After twenty years later, you become one of use one-third of the time...Your scent began to fade and everything turned out alright. And at the same time, I had learned a way to grow immune to human scents."

The humans entered again, now with Nessie-- taller by a foot -- smiling excitedly and hugging Renee, who seemed to be extremely short compared to Nessie.

I looked away, forming my "hair curtain", ashamed at my weaknesses.

But behind the wall of hair, I called out to Alice without a peep coming out of my mouth. I tried, mouthing out the words with difficulty.

Alice looked up from her chopping board, holding my wrists and bringing me out, gesturing a signal to Esme, returning nods. Alice brought me to the bathroom nervously, her cold fingers were taming me, as if I was some sort of circus lion.

She brushed her soft palms against my back as I leaned forward on the sink, staring down directly on the black drain. I spat into it, feeling uneasy.

"Calm down, Bella," Alice whispered. "I know it has been a while since you've seen Renee--"

"Why didn't you tell me before?" I hissed back.

"Sorry, but they'll be staying for a couple of months..."

I glared back, tugging on the collar of her smooth polo. I annoyed her and for the first time, Alice scowled back at me fiercely, like _I _was the Jasper, or a true newborn.

Renee knocked on the door, sounding a bit worried. I sighed another tough breath and went for the door, assuring my mom that I was fine.

I embraced her again, not even thinking. I ignored her scent and heartbeat; I was on the verge of tears, feeling so regretful and guilty. This was the fate I had chosen, and the one I would be stuck with the rest of my life.

Behind Renee, after peering through a narrow gap of my eyelids, finding Karen standing, eyeing me with suspicion.

It was the first time I had met with her eyes, the same color as mine and Renee's, with a tint of Phil's blue. She had a short lock of hair crossing over her eye, the rest of her hair set behind her shoulder, a clip holding back a lock of her hair. Her eyes were narrow but the rest of her was expressionless. Her wardrobe was similar to mine as well, but with Alice around I knew she would immediately hate my family.

I felt something pulsate underneath my chest, still staring at Karen's stiff-- but her face seemed so smooth-- raised eyebrow.

We all split up again, meeting into the living room. I brought Alice behind with me, scolding at her angrily. If she kept moving like an inhuman android, faster than a gazelle, for sure Karen would notice and already judge us on what we truly were!

The deal was set and we returned into the living room, Alice stumbling like a fool as she attempted to walk like a human, taunting me behind her. I threw another sharp stare, changing my expression once I had found a seat.

It was silent again and I tapped my foot, hoping it would break the silence and some how entertain the others. Renee cleared her throat, staring curiously back at me as I looked up from the carpet.

"Bells, are you wearing...Contacts?" she asked, squinting her old eyes. Crows' feet were formed lowly at the edges of her eyes, all forming tighter as she grew older.

"N-no...Not really," I shrugged. "Why?"

"Your eyes were black earlier...I think. Now they're...Brown."

The magic words.

"Uh..." I thought quickly, getting a flashback of what Edward's reply was. "It's just the florescence," I cleared my throat stiffly. "Sometimes Esme's lights can trick out your eye color..."

I knew I was totally screwing this up, receiving a delighted nudge by Alice.

Luckily, the humans left living room out of boredom with Alice behind them, leaving Nessie and I alone. It was pretty awkward.

Somehow, I understood what she was trying to tell me, even without her skin touching mine. She kept lifting her finger up and down, patting the cushions under her, creating a soft beat- up, down, up, down...

I nodded, shooing her away with a gesture from me. A short smile crept up her lips-- more like a grin-- and she escaped without a sound, wind brushing softly behind her.

I waited patiently in the living room, gathering my thoughts and relaxing on the sofa. I felt my forehead, feeling a bit stressed. At last, I thought. I was alone. I peeked behind the sofa, catching some one behind the door. Suddenly it was silent again; no one inches behind the threshold but feet closer inside the kitchen, the humans gathering to eat. My thirst seemed to be strong again, some one's perfume scent blowing towards me. It seemed familiar, but it wasn't Renee. It smelled different; a new scent. It smelled so familiar, too...So strong and sharp and pleasant. I closed my eyes again, holding my breath. It couldn't have been Esme or Alice- they didn't use that type of perfume. I let the thought slip, turning over to my stomach, feeling a bit tired. But of course, I knew I couldn't sleep. It would be useless if I tried.

**A/N: **Thanks for being so patient in reading this long-a$$ chapter. XD It was kind of difficult though, having another window open of a clip of Gabriel Iglesias, with another window next to this document of the first, old draft. :P I'm too lazy to check it again and since I think you deserve it, I'll just post this one. Don't have to read again but whatever. I'll try to upload Karen's POV, so please stay tuned!


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